The PADI Mermaid Program continues to grow, as does mermaiding as a whole. Are you capitalizing on the public’s developing interest in this fun (and fun-to-teach) activity?

The PADI® Mermaid Program has launched just over a year ago and has grown exponentially since then. With two significant events scheduled to occur in the near future, the public’s interest in mermaiding is set to be piqued even further: The first is International Mermaid Day on 29 March, a shell-ebration of all things mermaid first established in 2017 and which has grown in popularity ever since; the second is Disney’s upcoming live-action film The Little Mermaid, scheduled to be released in May 2023. If you want to take advantage of the opportunities this can bring to your business, here are some steps you can take:

If you already have a PADI Mermaid Instructor or PADI Basic Mermaid Instructor rating or have a member of staff who does.

Plan mermaid-related events during the week of International Mermaid Day such as the PADI Discover Mermaid program or conduct the PADI Basic Mermaid course. Here are some ideas:

Organize a cleanup event (“Splash for Trash”). Certified mermaids can collect trash in open water; non-certified participants can take part in beach cleanups.
In-water events in which mermaids show off their underwater or surface-modeling skills.  You can have underwater obstacle course races, individual or team-based in-water choreographies, or mermaid-related equipment demos.
Set up mermaid-inspired art creation workshops. Have participants design mermaid crowns, paint, sculpt or try dressing up as a mermaid with different outfits and mermaid makeup.
Watch mermaid-related movies and shows. There are so many movies and TV shows that feature mermaids – The Little Mermaid, Splash, Aquamarine, Peter Pan, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire to name a few – and watching them can help inspire others to complete mermaid training and also give existing mermaids ideas for future events.

If you don’t yet have a PADI Mermaid Instructor or PADI Basic Mermaid Instructor rating, nor a credentialed member of staff.

You can still obviously conduct most of the events suggested above, but to really capitalize on these opportunities you will want to be able to offer the courses. The PADI Mermaid Program has two instructor levels: PADI Mermaid Instructor and PADI Basic Mermaid Instructor.  PADI Mermaid Instructors can conduct the Discover Mermaid program as well as the Basic Mermaid, Mermaid, and Advanced Mermaid courses. A Basic Mermaid Instructor can conduct the Discover Mermaid and Basic Mermaid which, coincidentally, only require a pool or confined water environment – this makes them great for year-round offerings in areas with seasonal open water or as a way to help monetize your swimming pool.

If you would like more information about how to begin offering the PADI Mermaid Program, contact your Regional Training Consultant.

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